Point of View

"The Subterraneans" by Jack Kerouac is written in the first-person narrative from the point of view of the story's protagonist, Leo. The book is a stylized work that is presented in the stream-of-consciousness genre. As such, the reader is privy to the thoughts and motivations of the main character throughout the work. The reader learns immediately that Leo is beset with doubts and fears about himself and his future. He is a writer who drinks and parties more than he writes. He makes excuses but there is a level of honesty about that reflects his recognition that he is failing in life, failing himself and failing his dreams.

The author is considered one of the great literary voices of the twentieth century. His most famous work, "On the Road," is considered nothing less than a classic. Kerouac considered himself a jazz poet. There are poetic passages...